a day at a time.

POP loh

2010-12-08T21:16:00.020+08:00

i wished i could tell you that the past nine weeks flew by like a breeze and how i'm missing every moment spent on the sunny island of tekong. but no, my experience was just too far from that.

i dreaded every second i was in there, and every exercise i had to pull myself through. more often at times forcing myself to put on a smile simply because demoralisation's a contagious killer that can swiftly wipe out a platoon's morale. the irritable buzz of the alarm clock at 0515 hours each morning was a cruel snap back to reality from one of my only source of comfort - dreaming of home. and as i gaze upon changi's control tower over on mainland along the way to the toilet with my toothbrush in hand... well, that just made the situation so much more painful to accept. as harsh as it sounds, yes, it was literally one hell of a living nightmare.

if i could sum up the whole experience, i believe it'd be the best journey of self discovery i've landed myself in. at the end of each day, the only thing i ever longed for was to hear the voices of my loved ones over the phone. even then, it was difficult to cover up the sobbing and no matter how hard you tried, its never easy to lie to your mom. she knew. despite so, she kept my pride at her interest and never asked why, only to reply 'i love you son...'. yep, that was the first time my mom ever said those four words to me. gosh, recalling those moments only moves me to tears once again.

the mornings spent emo-ing, days being outfield and nights warded in the sickbay alone, are amongst the many i'll never forget. amidst those tough times however, i guessed i've matured. i finally understood what it meant by 'the best things in life are free', and what i needa do to cherish them. learning to be independent, you bet. if washing your own clothes is included that is. ;) piecing it all together, would have been what made me stronger and more capable to take on life's future obstacles.

and how can i not mention about my buds who brought me through it all. for example, smacking your ass as you run to ensure you meet the 2.4 targets, holding you up and taking over your fieldpack when you no longer can take shit from the route marches, and digging part of your grave (shellscape) for you when you get engulfed with heat rash. you guys know i owe you my life. haha. and yes, thank you sgt ashri, wilson and wan for all the memorable tekan sessions that if not for, i'd never have made it for ippt.

among all, esther, shuying, jiawen, junyi and the sec4s, thank you thank you thank you sooo much for the cards! y'all should be glad to know i had them up on my cupboard door and if there was a remedy to make me feel any better, it would have been those :D heehee.

as i look back, i figured the reason for the distasteful experience can only be owed to the removal of our basic right - freedom, which all of us are entirely used to having (and probably have taken for granted of) and all we got left with instead, were the basic necessities to live - no more, no less. yet in defending that freedom, we have to be prepared to give it up, ironically. whatever it was, i'm glad i can honestly say i did my best. never once keng ok. wahaha. so wish me luck for my posting in a few days. hopefully a slack vocation please! maybe driver, storeman or clerk would be nice.

EVERYDAY STRONGER, BETTER, FASTER, COUGAR! (:

first book out

2009-10-24T22:14:00.005+08:00

being home after the god-forsaken two weeks confinement felt like the best damn thing on earth. though only two weeks, it sure appeared like forever and infinitely worst than being away for ulp-obs-jtc-ndp combined back-to-back as that in sec3. sigh, i guess as mother nature has taught, the key to survival in any situation - quit whining and adapt, better known as 'suck thumb' in army terms.

kay, we've been briefed strictly on our blogging limitations, and to avoid the risk of being charged and thrown into db, henceforth i'll keep my posts short and sweet. well, i'm in cougar company, platoon four, section two, bed twelve. and of not being any help, we learnt during our first days that cougar was known to be the most siong company in school I. our commanders did great (even going the extra mile often) in ensuring that its legacy was drilled into our heads. you get what i mean.

other than the high standards expected of us, i'm surprised to discover that living conditions there wasn't that bad after all. bunk wise... definitely cleaner and neater than my own room, food... considering the slave-like physical trainings, i'll be more than glad to devour anything on the table. toilets... they now come with doors. haha. so perhaps the saddest thing is that there's only males and more males to look at each day. sheesh.

anyhow, i'm really grateful for the peeps i've been blessed with as platoon mates. a fun-loving and caring (and english-speaking, phew) bunch whom i know i can rely on to pull me through the rugged road ahead. and interestingly enough, i've been appointed the platoon trash i/c, lol.

so in a couple of hours it'll be time to head back and have the whole cycle of missing home repeat itself again. sighhh... as much as i hate being in this situation i'm in now, i don't pray that God will take me out of this, instead only to grant me the strength and grace i need to face this as a good solider. so till then, please continue to keep me in your prayers and i'll look forward to see you guys next weekend!

this is it

2009-10-07T23:10:00.002+08:00

its been a hectic and emotional day trying to get everything in order before i leave, buying last minute stuff and of course packing. hence i will keep this post real short.

haha, the feelings for the past few days have been one hell of a roller coaster ride, with its steepest drop down being right at this moment, as i take in every tick of the second enjoying home and its company. in a few hours time i'll be entering a whole new chapter of life, from civilian to soldier. the truth is, i'm really looking forward to it. the opportunity to caress my very own rifle, blow a grenade, sleep with men i see naked during showers, overcome my fear of doing it in the outdoors and much more! indeed, will it be an adventure of a lifetime. but again, if i told you i'm perfectly fine, that would be an obvious lie. it seems that i cant help being nervous and a little emo at times. the many uncertainties, the thought of being away from home for the longest time and missing out all the fun everyone's having... thats sad.

thankfully, i have you. yep, its you who gives meaning to all that we guys go through for. as you enjoy the peace and progress at home, please remember the peeps defending this land, seriously. haha. and with that in mind, rest assured i'll be maintaining my high spirits and doing my best to serve this nation for all of us.

please please keep us in your daily prayers. i'll look forward to catching up with you guys when i return. hopefully slim and hunky then LOL. /glups, i actually heard of friends who put on weight in there. haha, but we'll see.

so this is it i believe. bye pink ic, hair, nice comfy room and fats (hopefully). helloo tekong baabbyy, woohoo! till then, take care and see you folks in two weeks! (:

batam getaway

2009-09-24T12:54:00.000+08:00

a casual remark over coffee with junjie that we should plan a getaway some time ago, and surprisingly we landed ourselves in batam over the hari raya holidays. the best part, i believed we did quite abit for a small budget. nothing too extravagant, except for the suite stay, go-kart (which stephen tan lost :p), 2hrs full body massage and the unimaginable seafood feast that cost us only 23 bucks a person for nine dishes, woohoo!! it seemed like that in europe we were beggers, in batam we became kings. lol.

nothing much brought home though, only a lousy tan and a sore back after the massage. yikes, recalling the whole trip is already making me drool for the seafood... we shall return soon! >.<

we became millionaires instantly... in rupiahs

makan!

hunt for the legendary a&w and look what we discovered

go-kart!

seafood feast! mmmmm....
us watching animal planet thru the night. sheesh.
peeping tom
hunks wanabes
junjie's tee says it all mann.

photo credits to stephen wong

go fly kite

2009-09-20T12:28:00.000+08:00

finally, a chance to reminisce the good old days of kite flying with papa... last i cant remember when. in the past it was marina park, only to be replaced with the marina barrage now. well, a perfect activity to save a lazy saturday that i'd have slept through otherwise, hehe. thank god for the great weather and friends. (:

photo credits to yingsheng, qi hui and derek

disaster

2009-09-17T03:46:00.000+08:00

spent the day scouting around for a non camera phone for ns use, and eventually decided on the sony ericsson w950i for its web surfing features. thought that might be able to satisfy my boredom in camp, if theres even such an opportunity, lol.

after having bought it and trying it out at home, i came to a sad realisation. my poor 200 bucks was spent on nothing but a total disaster. it takes at least a minute to start up, unable to put photos as wallpaper, bloody soft ringtone, crappy touch screen, pathetic battery life, frustrating lagging... and the list goes on. OMG.

guess i'll be stuck with it for the next two years... thanks to zaidi's recommendation. hahaha, how did you even use it mann?!

prawning

2009-09-13T03:26:00.000+08:00

another adventure to the ulu side of singapore! this time, prawning at punggol marina. probably the best con and most cruel activity invented. 30 bucks for three hours that should get you about 5 prawns if its your day... with that kinda price i can get a seafood platter for two at fish n' co and feast to one's heart's content. haha, but at least the awesome company compensated and made the cost worth while. nice having wei ben use his hands to catch the little ones, steady mann. haha and yeah, if you're going the next time, remember to wash the prawns before grilling them please. we totally consumed all the pond water and shit in it when we forgot to have them washed. sheesh.

birthday bash

2009-09-12T03:10:00.000+08:00

great food, great music, great company...

happy 60th anniversary red cross yo!

farewell

2009-08-31T02:53:00.000+08:00

i told myself it was about time i'd leave fmssrcy before you guys even came as sec1s. but your passion and enthusiasm touched me, so much that i couldn't bear to leave. who would have expected time to fly by this fast, and its already been four years i've stayed. i've watched you grown, mature and having broken your boundaries to emerge as the respectable and capable leaders you are today. i am so proud of each of you.

as we bid you farewell, i hope you all will continue to strive for the very best for yourself and those around you, and never forget that whatever that doesn't kills you only makes you stronger.

you guys will never be forgotten. thanks for all the priceless memories!

snap snap

2009-08-24T01:54:00.000+08:00

back to the studio for a fun-filled time over the past weekend. these guys are natural born models i tell you.. made my job never more easy and fun, except for the small and cramp space we had to work with under budget. but i guessed we made do well with it. aye, can start considering part time modelling already eh khoo yu.

heehee. thanks for the opportunity. hope you guys like the work!

ndp 2009

2009-08-06T19:58:00.000+08:00

thanks to junjie who at the very last minute managed to get us tics, we were able to catch the last preview of ndp 2009! haha, thanks so much dude! eh well, the show was good. probably better than most of the previous ndps i can remember. and as always, the patriotic feeling that overwhelms everyone for that short while, which unfortunately after that... most put away the flags and turn into inconsiderate bastards again. sheesh.

hah, but nevertheless, happy national day fellow citizens!

european conquest

2009-07-24T02:14:00.000+08:00

2 weeks of being vaporised by the summer heat, over three thousand photos captured, having taken in every cultural delight of the countries we visited, and... we've finally arrived home!

we practically travelled like beggers during those fourteen days because everything was just too expensive. almost all public toilets in europe require a 'small' entry fee, and guess how much that cost. you wont believe it... S$3 bucks! gosh, and the distance equivalent of boonlay to jurong east in a cabby ride cost us over S$40 bucks! needless to say, i think you can imagine the prices of food haha. so that should explain the empty bag we returned with, originally intended for souvenirs.

anyhow, it was one awesomeeee experience that i consider myself so blessed to have. of course it didnt come easy with all the sacrifices and 'stinching', but definitely one hell of a worth while trip. the sightseeing and food tasting, totally priceless.

guess it'll take awhile now to come clean of the jet lag, and then its time to snap back to reality, including the fact that i've probably gained a few tons. nnoooo....

mann, i miss europe already. next stop, england babyyy! after much damage control to my piggy bank that is. :)

btw, got all pics uploaded on facebook. sorry folks, too lazy to blog each day out further. :p

the grass is greener on the other side

2009-07-09T22:46:00.000+08:00

two full days getting around and to know amsterdam was enough to determine it as surely one of the best places to spend one’s retirement in.

haha, not because of the sleaziness, but well just as a coin as two faces, we were glad to have been able to experience the other side of amsterdam, holland. besides the city, we managed to squeeze in some time to visit the country sides, farms and old towns. and who would have expected, they turned out simply beautiful. vast open lands, friendly old people, and getting in tune with mother nature… definitely the kind of place to spend my golden years. :D

interestingly enough, we found out why the country’s named the netherlands is cause its lands are really nether! flat and below sea level that is. and trying to speak dutch is like trying to spit with your mouth saliva-dried. hahaha, not a language i’d think of picking up anytime soon.

overall, holland appeared to be a pretty laid back country thus her peeps adopting more stress free and easy going lifestyles, which explains the much acceptance of weed, prostitution and drinks. but if there’re the few necessities the dutch can’t live without, they'd be milk, bread and cheese! yep, that’s all they eat for breakfast everyday of their lives. damn, now that’s one reason why i can’t survive over there for long. i’ll turn into a ball… and where’s all the cha kway tiao, kway chap, and o-luah when you need them?! but no offence, i still love you cheeesseeee.

so, before departing the city of diamonds, we made a final return to the city to take in the last remaining breaths of the ‘weed-stained’ air, and attempted some last min shopping which failed, but instead only got ourselves a few bottles of heinekens. whoot, it costs 47¢ a bottle while water’s $1.70! how cool is that mann.

haha, well enough of sin city. tomorrow, germany!

amsterdams's diamonds are cheaper, but doesn't mean she'll get one :)

cityscape

old sleepy town/port

best friend :D

cheese factory!

countryside farm

clogs! ah, i see where crocs originated from

countryside

porn paradise

2009-07-09T00:42:00.000+08:00

we departed paris on the brink of first light and continued our european 'conquest' up north-east towards amsterdam, netherlands - 'the sex capital of the world' woohoo! but before that, as you could see on the map, we had to stop over at brussels, belgium to fuel up and stretch that ass. eek. regretfully, also meant emptying my shrinking wallet further. :(

streets of brussels

town hall

black cabs in protest. boy, it was one long protest.

no idea if they were for or against the protestors

some landmark exhibition thingy

a cosy, tranquil and medieval-well-preserved town was the intial impression that brussels gave us. but after some time of roaming around, it would've been inevitable for one not to know what the town was famous for. waffles, chocs, and... the little peeing boy! gosh. its that dude from our primary school cheena textbook!

manikin pis

just looks wrong...

being a mt retard and having to read each chapter probably over a thousand times just to get each character right, how could i have forgotten. haha. its the one in which he spotted a trace of lit gunpower leading to its entire storage, and pee-ed on it that ultimately saved the whole town from being blown up till kingdom come from the enemy's sabotage. haha well yeah, thats him. clothed in a hero's glory till this day with what else but his perpetually flowing pee. lol, what a way to be immortalised.

but pee aside, the chocs and waffles are oommgg, heaven on earth i tell you! godiva, leonidas, pierre marcolini... thats enough to convert any cocoa abstaining idiot to a choco-nivore! sadly, the truffles i bought totally melted to a pool of crap by the time we reached our next hotel. sighh.

check out these waffles mann. (by lippy chiang)

chocolate fountain

godiva!

the greedy pig

by evening, we eventually arrived at our next 'pit-stop - amsterdam! hahaha, this is one hell of an interesting country. beer, porn and marijuana...what more can any man ask for?!! lol. and yep, all legal, cheap and abundant. but despite the sins, you'll be amazed by how really civilized the place is. beer and marijuana are only sold in the classy cafes as good as the CBs and SBs we have back home, not in back alleys or along those sleazy streets. and prostitution here is regarded as highly a profession as any others, that means they pay taxes too.

amsterdam's red light district

canals thru the red light district

cafe selling weed. haha you can ask for them in your brownies or smoke

they were growing weed in the shop can you believe it?! (by lippy chiang)

the methods used in advertising themselves were somewhat amusing. they'd actually be in lingerie and display themselves through glass windows along the streets, ready to turn on any man who walks pass them. but nah, not me. still a 100% faithful to the one beside me then. ;) lol. there was even this granny we saw through the glass, knitting! wth! so much for granny fetish. hahahah. well if you're thinking, it wasn't that we chose to go to such a location. the whole city's very much progressed this way. unavoidable.

it wasn't open yet. but once it was, you'd see the ladies hanging around in each 'cell' through the glass

there they were on the 2nd floor!

after some time of walking through the never ending streets of PORN (sex shops, live shows, prostitutes, etc), we realised our poor eyes needed a break from all the overwhelming visions of colourful sceneries and decided to head back to the hotel. and shit, just when i thought i had enough, the freaking tv's harassing me with even more PORN!!! nooo, it was a family channel not a pay-per-view one for goodness sake. and omg, those advertisements of them in between the programmes are annoyingly long. damn, seriously porn has never been this horrifying!!! no more i swear. /glups.

the 'happiest place on earth'

2009-07-08T14:28:00.000+08:00

we decided to spend today at disneyland, since we had managed to cover most of the main attractions in paris yesterday. after all, no money for any luxury shopping in the streets of champs elysees.

so up and about we were, before any of the others did. heading to disneyland via the city trains/trams turned out to be a little tricky, but with some broken french and much prayers, we eventually found our way. though the journey thru the city and suburbs was one hell of a ride, every second on it was well treasured as we embraced the breath-taking sceneries of france's countryside through the little glass window of our carriage.

double-decked train

in de train

scenery

after a good two hours of warming our asses, disneyland it was! sadly, i didn't bring my student card, because with it chanel got S$20 off the crappy S$100 i had to pay for entry fee per person. sheesh. apart from the cost, what more could i say. we're were in the happiest place on earth!

entrance of disneyland!

opening parade

chanel lam in her blue dress

chanel without her make up, and me :D

main street usa, discoveryland, fantasyland, adventureland and frontierland... you could easily spot the singaporeans from a helicopter above as we displayed our singapore spirit of kiasu-ism and chionged for every attraction we could! haha. but now an old man with a weak heart and not getting any younger, i realised i didnt't enjoy taking the extreme rides as much as i did before. but shit, i didn't pay a hundred bucks to miss out on the fun. so by the end of the day, my poor heart had taken a good beating from all the sick loops and mad g-forces. thankfully, no puke :)

mickey and friends lol.

bang bang!

stitch!

space mountain two!

i like this xD

at the way she drives, she's not gonna touch my car anytime soon. :p

princess wanabe. wahaha.

carousel

tea cup

small world

pirates of the caribbean the ride

indiana jones the ride

frankly speaking, euro disneyland didn't turn out too impressive, compared to those in the US and japan. maybe cause it was just much older and its rides weren't very up to date. we only discovered there was another newer and better park - disney studios, beside where we were after having gotten the tics into disneyland, but guessed it was too late. another time perhaps!

cinderella's castle

main street, usa

she burnt a hole in my pocket... :(

nevertheless, chanel had a great time and so did i! a handful of souvenirs and gifts, and off we went back to the city to catch more of night time paris. pizza dinner along champs elysees followed by window shopping. last we heard, the LV stuff here cost easily 47% less than those in singapore. damn, if not for it closed, who knows... i might have gotten something. haha. other than that, nothing fantasic for us to want to buy, and besides the aching legs were taking its toll on us. haha. with the last remaining bits of energy, we strived for one more stop that we had planned to visit - the moulin rouge! which also happened to be in the city's red light district. well, neat stuff we found there. LOL.

champs elysees

dinner!

the original louis vuitton

moulin rouge

cool stuff in there we caught. :D

wei ben's chair

beaten but never in low spirits, we endured through the twenty over metro stops that eventually brought us back to the hotel. whoot, definitely time to retire for the day!

touched down in paris

2009-07-07T14:04:00.000+08:00

after 14 gruelling hours of flight time, we've finally arrived in paris, the city of lights!

flying over france

the long journey wasn't exactly too pleasing. for a start, the flight got delayed by over an hour which only meant we lost precious time here in paris. having the captain announced that the plane had an engine failure and required a mechanic to fix the problem just before we took off didn't help us relax any better too. worst of all, no in-flight entertainment!!! what can be worst?! but thank god for at least a smooth journey. heh heh.

the weather was perfect when we touched down at 0800 hrs local time, with the temperature at approx 22˚c. moreover we were welcomed with a pretty rainbow, that only reminded us of god's promise of his pressence and protection over us. we were definitely off to a good start!

rainbow!

we spent the entire day pretty much free and easy. a few minutes trying to understand the local transport system, and getting around the city became simply a breeze. no time was wasted in attempting to absorb as much as the city could offer. the notre dame cathedral, arc de triomphe, lourve museum, champs elysees, patheon, and of course the eiffel tower just were some of the places we covered. the history discovered behind each and every of those places were indeed so rich, alluring and beautiful. cant help it, im a history buff. haha. but i shall skip it here.

champs elysees - most famous shopping district in paris

lourve museum - houses the mona lisa

arc de triomphe

les invalids

notre-dame cathedral

inside the cathedral

chanel making an offering

pathenon

walking the streets

eiffel tower, hmm... honestly, nothing spectacular about it. haha. i thought it just appeared like a piece of scrap metal protruding outta nowwhere (it is in fact isn't it?). but since we are in paris, i guessed it wouldn't hurt spending some time at it, also because chanel insisted. lol. best thing so far - the sun actually only began to set at 2215 hrs! yeah, that's happens only in summer; which added more daylight time for our sightseeing and 'exploration'.

climbing up the eiffel tower! :D

view of paris from the top

stupid tee i bought but couldn't fit into :(

the tower sparkles every hr from 9pm. yeah, thats 9pm alright!

view of the tower from directly beneath

so, after a long and extremely well spent day, we're back in the hotel. unfortunately quite distant from the city. legs are beginning to ache and lips to crack. sheesh. we've still got much of the world ahead of us, so deciding to turn in now would probably be a good idea. tomorrow, disneyland!

eurotrip part II

2009-07-05T02:37:00.000+08:00

hooray, the much awaited trip has come.

armed with my trusty dslr, crocs, lonely planet guides, and oakley shades... europe here we come baby!

be back in three weeks' time. till then, ciao! :D

to lead & to serve... yet again

2009-06-29T02:16:00.000+08:00

because whatever that doesn't kills us only makes us stronger.

thanks for all the unforgettable memories! (:

ivan & pris

2009-06-26T04:08:00.000+08:00

just a handful of pics from ivan and priscilla's pre-wedding outdoor shoot completed in kl where i spent my past couple of days.

congratulations you two! and thanks for the wonderful opportunity! (:

happy fathers' day

2009-06-22T04:03:00.000+08:00

post surgery

2009-06-12T23:11:00.000+08:00

we're likely to have heard the phrase, 'life is fragile' well over a thousand times. for me, that hasn't really hit hard until now. one moment of fun in camp and the next, i found myself lying in hospital. thanks to a random case of acute appendicitis that started the whole ordeal beginning saturday evening, the following three days passed as living nightmares. needless to say, nuh wasn't very helpful with its three hours wait time while half my life had already been sucked out of me at the a&e. a handful of tests were enough to confirm the diagnosis, and not long after was i under the knife, now leaving me three sad scars.. :(

on the brighter side, i must admit i haven't felt so loved in a long while as it had been during those four days. ha ha ha! as much as i did try not to publicize my situation, you guys eventually found out and were only more eager to know if im getting better each day. all that you've done meant so much to me that i cannot thank each one of you enough for!

chanel, yuan hao, austin, poh huat, nicholas, eugene, wei ben, celeste, junjie, guo ying, cin lee, hui yi, ambrose, alvin, melissa, ms tai, ms sham, and ms wong, thank you ever so much for visiting and for all your essence of chicken/fish, cakes, apple juice, get-well-soon board :)), flowers, fruits and hampers! and of course for family and everyone including the rciy gang who have been messaging and praying for me non stop, thank you so so so much.

believe me when i say i will never forget what you all have done for me. god bless you all! :D

last supper

2009-06-04T14:07:00.000+08:00

they say army is a time when boys become men. how true that is, only time will tell. enjoy the free slimming and tanning resort at tekong bud. you'll be missed, haha. do take care and see you and the new hairdo in two weeks time! (:

ops cohesion night

2009-05-31T02:51:00.000+08:00

first attempt playing 'bar tender' at last evening's ops cohesion night. brought back fond memories of my 'masak masak' toy kitchen set i had during the kindergarten days. rocks. :)

not me, i meant the event. haha. thanks for the pics ambrose sir!

photos courtesy of ambrose

two thumbs up

2009-05-27T02:18:00.000+08:00

undoubtedly two of the 'awesomest' movies i've caught for a long long while.

i've never read more than a chapter of the dan brown novel, so its no surprise the film came as amusing to me. suspense, plot, location shoots, 'religion-based'... definitely my kind of flick. maybe because i'm catholic hence the emotions of being able to relate there a little. but c'mon, its nothing more different than national treasure. only an idiot gotta believe they're non-fictional. perhaps it was offensive at some scenes, but i guess credit still gotta go to ron howard for being able to recreate the locations so well where orginals were off bounds to him.

as for star trek, was never a trekkie till now! haha, am definitely gonna get the entire series of it beginning 1966...when i can afford. any kind soul can lend maybe? (:

a piece of mind

2009-05-24T13:45:00.000+08:00

as i gather my thoughts and prepare my content to share on sunday's sesion topic being 'morality', one question has been occupying my entire mind. 'what exactly makes human life valuable?' hhmm...

is it determined by the quality of life we live? or how smart we are? or how popular we are? or how much we can contribute to society? or perhaps... is it because we as human beings have inherent value invested in us by our creator, god who has loved us with an everlasting love that can never be diminished...?

take law and religion out of the picture, and tell me why it would be morally wrong for me to kill you. what would your response be?

flyer & night safari

2009-05-17T04:13:00.000+08:00

somehow i managed to got hold of this family card whereby all tourist attractions visited with it in singapore are free, if not 90% free (don't ask how, haha). since i had it for only a day, we decided to try out the flyer for the first time and thereafter visit the night safari last evening after work. some places i wouldn't pay for outta my own pocket as i never found them exactly that appealing. but nevertheless, we had our fair share of fun. (:

graduation day

2009-05-13T03:22:00.000+08:00

the closing of a chapter, a new beginning of another.

three years in ngee ann brought about the most painful, but also the sweetest days of my life as far as i can remember. as its said, 'whatever that doesn't kills you only makes you stronger'. surely, has it been a home that i will never forget. not to mention, the people i owe for having made it one enjoyable hell of a time.

happy graduation y'all!

birthdays

2009-05-11T02:19:00.000+08:00

for some of these guys, four years have flew by since we last met. thanks to facebook and birthdays, the opportunities to catch up were well seized over the past couple of weekends.

for a start,

charmaine got accepted into murdoch
sijay, guo hao, moses, and alson are finally commissioned
jason got a place in safsa at last
messy graduated with a accumulative gpa of 4.0 and on scholarship with ntu
tian's enlisting into commando bmt in july
shibin made it to airforce school as a fighter pilot trainee
loke's working as a relief teacher - a step closer to achieving his dream of being a teacher

... and the list goes on.

indeed was it awesome to know that everyone's doing great out there and in the best of health. :)

but then again, after such pranks... i'm uncertain if the others look forward to meeting up any time soon. LOL.

photos courtesy of gaelan gu

at last ...

2009-05-08T03:15:00.000+08:00

after much anticipation, the orange letter finally showed up in the mail box this week.

it read, 'You are hereby required under Section 10 of the Enlistment Act (Cap 93) to report for enlistment 08 OCT 2009 (THU) AT 10.30 AM to BASIC MILITARY TRAINING CENTRE SCHOOL 1'

...

sheesh, what a bittersweet moment. bitter cause i can foresee how restricted my life is gonna be for the next two years... and sweet because october's still pretty far away which leaves me some time to get into shape and catch up on what's to be missed in the years ahead.

time will fly, and in a matter of time i'll be in. haha, stay positive i must.

s'pore gp 2009

2009-05-05T02:47:00.000+08:00

haha, anyone wana go for f1 this year? early bird tics still up for grab! :D

r1 meet up

2009-05-03T00:33:00.000+08:00

haha, if you saw a convoy of these babes in town yesterday, that was us at last evening's subaru r1 owners' meet.

just pure, clean thrill to take the night away. especially now that our rides have turned limited ed since last month, we are all we've got left.

still, the expressions on the onlookers' faces... priceless (:

56th anniversary

2009-04-26T00:01:00.000+08:00

hooray! we've turned 56th this year! at the same time, its always nice to know we're expanding and excelling a little more every year.

jiayou fmssrcy, and congratulations to one and all on yer enrolment and promotions. keep up the good work! (:

club twenties

2009-04-21T13:55:00.000+08:00

who would have expected life to have gotten by this fast. as if the years just swoooshed past in a flash, i'm finally facing the two huge candles on the cake. looking back the past years, i cant deny just how blessed and provided for i've been. and as i celebrate these twenty years on earth today, i pray and thank god for each and everyone of you, both family and friends for being that blessing to me. (:

indeed did today come as a surprise in a number of ways. people whom i never expected to know or remember my birthday actually did drop me wishes, which really touched my weak heart and made me extremely grateful. on the other hand, friends whom i thought ought to remember, totally forgot about it, clearly telling me where i stand in their life. while i'm a little disappointed, i guess that's life lah eh. no hard feelings to anyone. not as if i remember everyone's birthday too. i guess it just feels emo to know you're aging quick. haha.

nonetheless, thanks to everyone who made this day so special with all your wishes and cakes! you guys are the best lah. ;)

tuts my barreh

2009-04-17T00:05:00.000+08:00

haha, i cant get this outta my head. damn.

look whos home

2009-04-10T01:00:00.000+08:00

courtesy of qing xiang

qing xiang and yuan hao returned this week! and despite their busy and packed schedule, its pleasing to have friends like them who never fail to make time for the creatures of least importance like me to catch up with. thus, with the limited amount of time we had together these few days, i’m glad that it was well spent. :)

its been a while since i’ve seen the two, and no doubt is it great to know that both are doing well and still very much alive kicking. due to ns, qing xiang’s been posted to brunei for a year, and yuan hao’s frequently sailing the region. as i sometimes witness the agony and sacrifices that such friends and relatives in ns put themselves through in fulfilling their duties, i cant help but be filled with much emotions and sometimes even sadness. for a start, none of us would want to be away from home, nor face the awful storms and currents out at sea or for that fact, wish to miss out on what those two years could have been spent on instead. when it comes to my turn to serve, i wonder if i’ll even have the physical/mental strength and capacity to do what these guys are currently doing out there.

i guess the truth is that i’ve been taking these peeps for granted. and maybe most of us are too. thanks to our lives of comfort and convenience, we’ve forgotten the price of which peace comes at, which who else are paying for, but these guys with their lives and sacrifices. well, someone has to get the job done one way or another, and until my time has come to join in the ranks of these brave men, my utmost admiration and respect goes out to all of them. dudes, thanks for keeping us safe, really. god bless you all! muack! haha. (:

world tour

2009-04-05T01:27:00.000+08:00

i've decided to leave my job by june in order to set aside some time for the people and things i'd wana catch up with before i get enlisted for ns. hence as part of my 'retirement' plan, chanel and i got a couple of new toys this week to keep ourselves occupied while at home especially after we've stopped working. yeah you guessed it, a ps3 and the full set of guitar hero world tour, woohoo!

not surprising, its already becoming an addiction. haha. besides, we got gran turismo 5 too. only three words to describe its graphics. outta this world mann!

ok, time to get busy earning that gtr. of course, we'd love to have you join us! :D

price of beauty

2009-03-30T01:12:00.000+08:00

its said that there's a feminine side to every guy. today, i think i let mine loose. i couldnt believe i spent over two hundred bucks on facial products just like that. lol, what was i thinking?!

at least, i hope they work lah. haha.

final sem results

2009-03-24T00:28:00.000+08:00

final semester results were out today and im overjoyed to know i achieved the A grade, finally giving me a gpa of 4.0 that i had always wished for but only little hopes of attaining. hence all i can say, praise God! heehee.

adding this to my accumulative gpa will sure help a significant bit, but im still having my reservations if the figures will make the cut to get me into a local social science course i'm wanting. business will be a definite nono considering how it has dried me out for the past three years and i can't imagine spending another 3-4 years slogging through pages long reports, proposals and business plans for every project. sheesh.

thinking about the whole further education issue has taken its toll on me. for a start, i cant decide where i'd like to head. uni of cornell/ melbourne/ queensland seem to be the nicer options, having heard from friends about the fun they're having there and the rich mix of cultures they're fitting into. it sounds exciting. but then... i guess i have too much to lose here going abroad. on the other hand, staying here will just appear to be another cycle of poly repeating itself, dull -__-.

oh well, i'll just have to wait for that letter from smu before i determine anything. please come quick!

arts fest '09

2009-03-22T13:21:00.000+08:00

photo courtesy of shuying

four months of planning and hard work with the others paid off well today as the rcy arts festival 2009 took centre stage at ri with a whole new concept in place. agreeing to take up appointment as vice chairperson (ops) proved to be a challenging role to fulfill, but was an un-regrettable opportunity seized that taught me so much about organising, decision making and managing personnel. not forgetting everyone in the committee who have self sacrificially stood by guiding, motivating, reminding me on outstanding tasks, covering my incompetencies and supporting me so ever-so faithfully; and of course the team of vis who made our dreams come true, thank you one and all! that's definitely one worthwhile experience you call priceless.

well done y'all! hip-hip-hooray! :D

and now for the best part to mark the event's conclusion, i get to delete all 200+ emails on arts fest! poof. gone. muahaha.

smu interview

2009-03-20T13:02:00.000+08:00

dressed to kill, the ordeal began as i made my way to singapore management university today for my interview at the school of social science. for a start, it turned out that locating the right venue was exceptionally harder than i had imagined. it being the first time there, i was taken back in sheer surprise the moment i descended into its underground concourse. goshh, it was humongooous down in there! restaurants, pubs, cafes, shops, banks, gyms... whoot, nothing i would expect. if it wasn't for the new pair of shoes that was killing me, i could have spent the entire afternoon there exploring.

anyhow, i eventually made my way to the right faculty. as if i wasn't late enough, catching the lift up had to be a task as challenging. reason being, only one lift was operating and everytime it hit my floor it was sadine packed, depriving me of the chance to use it. there wasnt stairs access and hence, it took me awhile to return to the ground floor whereby only then could i squeeze my way into the lift that took me up... finally after a heart pounding 15min.

broken out in cold sweat, i scanned around hoping to find some familiar faces, but all i received were blur shy body languages. while most of us were dressed in formal attire, a couple were in their tees and jeans. /claps. in my mind, all i could think of was, 'thanks for the added boost of confidence! haha.'

in no time, i was face to face with the interviewers. having found out that one was from harvard and the other from illinois, both holding phd in psychology and conversing with me in that american and european slang, wasn't helpful at all! instead of listening attentively to them, my brain was literally in a race to seek for answers to the questions posed. i wouldnt be surprised if they were scrutinizing my mind with their psycho-tactics the whole time. haha. thank goodness the questions asked were at least pretty much practical and not things such as 'why isn't a square round or a ball square, and etc' which i heard some others had encountered.

the slow drive home was consoling. in conclusion, i guessed it was just average performance. perhaps impression, i may have a slight chance, but topics discussed... was a total disaster. considering the tough competition, i doubt my chances will be high. but well, no hard feelings. if i make it, it'll be an added bonus to my list of options. if not, there's still another two years to reattempt and the chance of studying at uni of melbourne that im favouring for now.

whatever the outcome, it was a great learning experience gained today. :)

please keep me in your prayers!

ltc four years on

2009-03-20T12:16:00.000+08:00

i was blessed with the opportunity to return to the unit over the weekends to assist in a leadership training camp. blessed because spending such moments with both the juniors and teachers are always lovely to me, and unfortunately since my job now forbids me to, such chances to be able to return are therefore extremely rare. nevertheless when i do return, im always amazed by how much everyone is growing, changing and maturing, with the guidance of the younger seniors and vis whom have left me a peace of mind to leave without any regrets. and i know fairfield has been in good hands. :)

the sacrifice of that 'weekend-beauty-to-die-for' sleep was definitely worth every bit, as i slogged myself out of bed at five in the morning to tag along for the hike up bukit timah with the rest of the group. apart from the annoying mosquitoes and growling in my tummy, it was a great time of physical and mental training shared with everyone present in mother nature's midst. at least for a personal learning point ... my stamina has fallen freakishly below-low and its time i had better take some damage control before i get myself killed in ns! haha. ok, the best solution is to quit my current job soon in order to find some time to hit the track and gym again. however, re-adapting to the zero pay days will prove to be most difficult considering the way i'm splurging now. sheesh.

well, have a good week of school holidays y'all!

studio shoot

2009-03-13T05:28:00.000+08:00

just some of the pics we managed to get from yesterday's photoshoot. huge thanks to boren and chanel for volunteering to be my models! if you both get famous one day, make sure you don't forget me ok. haha. but seriously, you both were surprisingly natural and good at it! made my work so much simpler and more enjoyable. so once again, thank you!

great, i found a cheaper alternative to paying for passport sized photos. :D

shortlisted to smu

2009-03-10T13:03:00.000+08:00

i received a call this morning that came rather unexpectedly. the guy on the line informed me that i got shortlisted for smu school of social sciences' interview next week! yeah! great news for a start that definitely made my day.

heehee, though i'm hoping for the best, i'm expecting the worst. just in case the disappointment sets in too great. at least from here, its comforting to know that academics don't matter anymore. only that interview to ace. ggrrr... please pray for me!

new office

2009-03-03T04:29:00.000+08:00

a new office for a brand new start. yes, we've moved! the entire office moving operations fell on my shoulders and for the past week or two, my brains were switched off and all the arm muscles i could muster took over. haha, as if i had much to spare. well ok, the whole task pretty much sucked. especially when there's no lift at the old location and as for the new... it only works to the third floor while the office's on fourth. but as they say, whatever that doesn't kills you only makes you stronger... and hell yeah does the sai kang warrior prevail! :D

so, after countless journeys to and fro, everest climbs up and down with never ending boxes... the job's finally done! claps! haha. just the it system left to be set up and we're ready to roll. then when the weekends come, i'm so going for a nice massage that im insisting the company sponsors me for. mann, what can we do without the banglahs... they definitely deserve more love than what we're showing them now. lol

here's our new little place at waterloo street where i'm mainly going to slog most of my life away till i'm wanted at tekong. come visit me when you're around!

chee kiat & janice's

2009-02-23T05:09:00.000+08:00

another tiring day... yet a very satisfying one.

congrats to chee kiat and janice on their big day! :D

valentines week

2009-02-17T02:23:00.000+08:00

valentines day is back and 'love' is in the air...

perhaps its true that the day did have its origins. some googling and it was found to have began as a feast day of the catholic church in honouring st valentine, a martyr in 496 ad. cool stuff.

religious affair aside, im not exactly a supporter of valentine's day. at least for a handful of florists i've come across, the price of flowers have blasted up by three times, and it hasn't been much different for restaurants. not as if my appetite would have suddenly expanded. sheesh. is the implication really necessary? seems like a day recreated by scheming businessmen for greater business gains more like it.

but seriously girls... c'mon, if its only on valentines day that your guys are being extra nice to dress up, take you out and shower you with those extra lovely dovey gifts, i'd say ditch them.

haha. no offence, i just think you deserve better. i mean, why can't everyday be valentine's day? why not have days that are of your own instead of following the crowd? hah ok, i admit i may be the jerk most of the time who's not anywhere near close to being the perfect guy, but at least i dont wait to do what i gotta do.

yes i know what you're thinking. poor chanel. must have had an unpleasant valentine's with the scrooge. haha. well we didn't celebrate or get anything... instead we spent the weekends joining the crowds over at the natas fair and got ourselves a tour to aust in may. hooray! work is blowing my brains out. a good break to look forward to at last. :D

home grounds turn white

2009-02-16T00:23:00.000+08:00

it was a personal dream come true when fairfield finally hosted its first ever national rcy competition on home grounds yesterday for nfc '09. the sight of the parade square overwhelmed in white, the society's and state flag soaring above, and the school's crest firmly in place amongst them, was indeed a proud moment for us fairsians to embrace and look on in awe.

it was the day the team trained so hard for, and worked tirelessy towards for months. though far from perfect, they did well and moreover have they exceeded my expectations in countless avenues. for this, i cannot be any more proud of each one of them. ellysha, sharina, alison, abram, james, jane, jessica, cherra, beatrice, rachel, aaron, gillian, arthur, fen nam, jia qi, cheryl, amalina, siti, savona, junyi, and dian, congratulations! don't be discouraged, for there is no failure, instead only learning experiences. continuing striving for the moon, and even if we fall short, we'll land among the stars.

have a good rest peeps! :)

submission of final report

2009-02-14T01:40:00.000+08:00

other than graduation day that i have no idea when it will be, today would most likely be the last time i'd be returning back to campus. got my final internship report submitted this morning, and man, did dropping it into the pigeon hole get me feeling high. haha. thats it. the end. nooo mmoooree. awesome. :)

i took a final walk around the campus to soak in all that i could, before heading to the office. from the taekwondo training grounds to the rchn room, the common hang outs at the library to the cozy study corners, and the lan shop to the pub (yes there's a lan shop and pub in np), np was without a doubt a 2nd home to all of us. strangely enough, the feeling wasn't the same as before. that sense of belonging seemed shallow, and i didn't feel i fitted in with the other students there any longer. perhaps i've gotten used to the corporate life, where all you engage in and converse about with colleagues when you're not working are politics, the economic downturn and oh-so-current affairs. maybe... i have really moved on from the wonder years, as many would say.

possibly, some time soon at the campus gym with the dudes before our student cards expire will be nice.

last day of internship/school

2009-02-13T01:09:00.000+08:00

the tides have turned. while the time has come for those in school to mug hard for final semester exams, tomorrow's the last official day for us interns. haha yeah, that marks the end of three years in poly for me. enough of projects bombardment, never ending reports, cmi lecturers, doing sai kang and kissing the bosses ass at 'work' for that well written appraisal. i could really use a break. but i guess that will have to wait. unfortunately, things won't be much different the day after tomorrow. thanks to my car, i'll be continuing to work till the day i receive my enlistment letter in order to pay up its installments. sheesh. at least life will probably be alot better now without those additional internship reports that's consistently been such a haunting. not to mention, pay raise! heh heh.

well, jiayou peeps in school! mug hard while i enjoy my freeddooommm. LOL.

2009-02-06T00:26:00.000+08:00

with a little more cash earned these days, i was finally able to advance into studio photography. something i've always wanted to get myself into since being hooked onto my first d80, but never really found the time to pursue till recently. hence for the past couple of weeks and the next few, saturdays will pretty much be occupied with studio and modelling work. hah, who would have though i'd ever get myself into this field. well, life is too short to miss out on anything isn't it.

in any case, it was interesting to gain a little insight into the modelling industry and understand why top models including the 'not so hot ones' are able to get paid up to US$25,000 an hour (sick!) just for a few simple poses. in brief, it can get rather frustrating when you have to direct a model multiple times in a single shoot. but then for now, all part of e learning process la huh.

so next stage, fashion photography! i'll be having to rent studios now and then to cover shoots and do assignments, so if you'd like some studio shots, drop me a message! i'll be glad to be of service. :)

2009-01-30T01:12:00.000+08:00

ever since working commenced, the festive season hasn't appeared exactly festive. too much to catch up on, too little time out of the office. for that reason, not too many visitings were made this cny compared to the previous years'. surprisingly despite the bad economic times, the amount in ang baos received this time round was much more, probably due to the few new married couples haha. but aiyah times are bad, gotta save whatever one can. that includes the weight! all the bak gua and tarts have gained me a good truckload. everyone's commenting i became fatter. shiat. depressing.

nevertheless, seeing both family and friends in the pink of health and coping well is enough to let one realise how blessed we have been all these while.

wishing one and all a blessed and grace-filled niu year! gong xi fa cai! :D

to lead with pride

2009-01-17T02:52:00.000+08:00

because whatever that doesn't kills you, only makes you stronger.

2009-01-17T01:17:00.000+08:00

the regular runs and hanging on the pulll up bar like an idiot each day paid off well. thank god, i passed napfa today! not only pass, silver! hah. shiok, thats two months off ns. muahaha.

2.4 run was madness, having to run like never before. literally, i ran for my life. hah! zero to six pull ups, 14 to 11.30mins for 2.4 in a month. wah, red bull does really gives you wings mann.

2009-01-05T22:13:00.000+08:00

Vincent and Corrine. 3rd January 2009.

the end :)

2009-01-03T01:13:00.000+08:00

2008 has been a good year. maybe far from perfect, but definitely still good. for everyone around me who has showered me with infinite blessings, i am just so thankful for each of you. i could list down all of your names, but that would probably take forever. if you're reading this, then you'd know its simply you. :)

2009 will be a challenging year ahead, having to shift to a new office, graduate (if i don't fail my current sem), enlist for ns and sourcing for a college... but as always i'm trying to look on the bright side. and actually i'm already feeling a little excited. haha. not that i'm aging, but perhaps moving on to a new phrase of life altogether. well, we'll just hafta stay hopeful and see how it goes. ;)

my resolutions for the new year... 1) keeping family as first priority and 2) going to bed with a happy ending each day. yep, thats it. short and simple, yet great effort required.

happy new year peeps!

cheers!

2008-12-31T01:52:00.000+08:00

the immediate weekend after christmas was spent up in kl for a relative's wedding. i was invited to help as a back up photographer for the couple's big day, but was pretty uncomfortable and hesitated with the idea initially for the fear of screwing everything up and being slaughtered after that. moreover i wasn't anywhere near being a good photographer, needless to say doing a wedding shoot. but then considering the fact such opportunities don't come often, i made my point of my 'noob-ness' clear and with that well understood, i decided to give it a try.

well, i was glad i did! cause it was just such an enjoyable and fulfilling experience! though the task was exhausting and the weather wasnt any helpful, i fell in love with the job as soon as i began snapping away. what's more, i got to meet edmund tham, an international award winning wedding photographer who was too on the job, hence being able to gain small doses of tips here and there during the shoot.

here are the some of the shots i managed to capture. i realise they're pretty straight forward shots, so theres much more to learn. possibly, trying out more abstract and creative ones at the next opportunity would sound good. considering its my first go at wedding photography, i was rather pleased with what i've got, though no where worth comparing to the professional ones. haha

perhaps, this might be something i would want to excel and get myself into with a little more cash to spare in the future. lol.

ryan and nicole, thanks so much for believing in me and for the wonderful opportunity. though i'll greatly miss all the chilling out and drinking sessions with you both before tying the knot, i share your joy in this blissful sacrament of love and unity, and i pray that the both of you will have many God-filled and loving years ahead.

this entry is dedicated to you both!

the end (:

2008-12-26T04:33:00.000+08:00

the slight drizzle today only made Christmas so prettier. if there was winter, we'll probably be having a white christmas (:

nonetheless, it was a very warm one celebrated with midnight mass, the extended family, and many friends (thanks everyone for setting aside time to meet up!). not forgetting the turkey, ham and... everything else on the food table now in my stomach. lol.

on behalf of chanel, we wish you all a blessed and holy christmas to you and your family! may each and every one of your homes be filled with God's love, peace, joy and hope.

merry christmas! x)

2008-12-24T01:48:00.000+08:00

truely, does time flies. it started off with struggling to get used to internship, then came the overseas trips and at last, christmas is here. though the past days being back have been tremendously packed with overtime and fatigue in hope to clear up as much shit as possible, the anticipation of christmas still never fails to brighten it all.

thankfully, the weekends offered some time to catch up on gifts hunting which has only left me to feed on grass and algae for the next month. despite that thought persisting, i'm extremely glad. glad because after years of being provided for and receiving countless showers of material blessings, i could finally afford to be the giver now that i'm earning. bought mom an espresso maker that she has been wanting for a long time, and i'm sure she'll be pleasantly surprised.

on the other hand, g2000's having 50% sale. considering five upcoming weddings, i guessed it was a good time to get a suit. lotsa pockets to collect ang paos during cny too. best. :D

in any case, i'm planning to meet and catch up with as many friends as possible this season, especially the long lost ones. so if you receive a random call from me, don't avoid can?? not trying to sell you anything horr.

2008-12-21T03:30:00.000+08:00

check out what greeted me upon my return from the holidays. this is only half the stack...

obvious signs that you are just so hated at work. sheeshh.

2008-12-19T14:23:00.000+08:00

just some photos from our short cruise to puket and penang spent over the past few days. much thanks to poh huat and peiling for allowing us to be part of their holiday! as usual, we could have never gotten enough of eating, drinking and shopping! nonetheless, it was great time spent chilling and de-stressing, and more importantly with such best buds. im sure we all had a good time. told you i was going to feast, haha :p.

the mascot's called a whim. lol i dont know why either.

top deck

grand lobby

christmas tree!

celebrating chanel's birthday at the stroke of midnight

nothing beats this :D

in the tender boat heading to penang

in the tender boat heading to puket

beach at puket

gala dinner

third drink for the night. check out chanel's face. lol.

2008-12-13T13:27:00.000+08:00

medical check up this morning. whoot, 4 kgs lost from 1 week of eating grass. i'm going to feast!

2008-12-10T13:16:00.000+08:00

i've been on a strict vegetarian salad diet with nothing else for the past four days and planning to keep it that way till friday when the ns medical check-up is conducted. sheesh, this is hardcore torture, but still definitely worth the sacrifice than spending extra months in tekong for being obese. lol, i can never be vegetarian.

2008-12-07T01:55:00.000+08:00

home sweet home! yes, back at last. and if there are some things im craving for, they would be chicken rice, hokkien mee, and definitely the nice warm weather. :D the past thirteen days spent touring eastern europe were awesome, leaving us wanting only more. im certain we'll return some day, and when that happens i swear i'm so gonna get an LV bag then. muahaha! perhaps some of the places we enjoyed included visiting the cathedrals, old town squares, and the prominent sites of wwii, such as the nazi concentration camps and other fortresses from both the allied and axis powers. so rich were they in history, politics and architecture that so often being at these locations invoked much emotions which allowed us to pretty well embrace the beauty and darken days of eastern europe.

the cathedrals and basilicas throughout were truely heaven on earth. from st vitus in vienna to st stephen in hungary, each were indescribable and without a doubt, breathtaking in their own ways. so much, that many of us including the non-catholics in our tour group were caught in awe and moved to spend some time in quietness and prayer while absorbing in the spendor of God's house. as we moved from parish to parish and cathedral to cathedral, it is here that i am able to witness and feel so strongly the universality of the church, where throughout the world, it is the one same mass, priesthood and sacraments which we share and celebrate as one family. to me, its simply what being Catholic is all about.

well, so much to share, too little time. i'll probably take some time to sort out the photos and share them online. stay tuned! in the meantime, its back to work and somehow, i feel a little more rejuvenated and energetic to perform after a pleasant break. hope it lasts!

2008-11-27T05:38:00.000+08:00

today was spent mainly on visiting churches, hill climbing and some time through the locals' streets. everything here is pretty expensive and so far there isn't anything fascinating for me to want to buy. i haven't spend anything since the beginning, which is good. haha. heard that some designer brands like LV and gucci might actually be 30-40% cheaper than those in singapore and even the duty free ones. so maybe that's something to consider if one such store passes my way. heehee.

we'll be out of here in hungary tomorrow morning and heading towards krakow, poland. i've been kinda looking forward to being there since years ago, especially because its the birth place of pope john paul II which holds some meaning for us to visit. well, hope it'll be a memorable one. (:

heroes' square (one of e road blocks in amazing race asia season 2)
tomb of the heroes

st stephen's basillicainside the basillica
climbing up to st matthias' church

view from the top

view of budapest, hungary

locals' marketplace

elizabeth bridge

2008-11-26T08:45:00.000+08:00

its almost 2am here in hungary and probably close to 9am at home. we just got back from a little exploring of the streets within the area. lol i think i'll stop complaining about singapore's bad night life, course in most countries i've visited, it seems that there isn't really one at all. most shops practically close around 5pm here and the coffee outlets around 10, maybe because its the winter season.

the past 2 days of scrambling around and the mad hours' long plane journey have pretty much worn us out, but nonetheless the spirits are still high! maybe due to the wines and shots we just had. heh heh. they're cheaper than coke or mineral water here by the way.

ok, before tucking in i thought i'd share just some of the pics taken. a little too tired to touch them up or for any further elaboration, so i guess i'll save that for some time soon. enjoy! (:

backyard of our hotel room

schonbrunn palace

in front of the palace

inside the palace's rooms

palace's courtyard

palace's backyard
walking the old streets of vienna
modern streets of bratislava
st. stephen's cathedral
inside's st stephen's cathedral
horse carriages
st peter's church
ceiling of the church
wind mails along the way to hungary, budapest
view of budapest from the top
top of the budapest castle
streets of budapest - pest
budapest parliament house, view from the river cruise
budapest - buda
on board the river cruise along the danube river
hungarian dinner
view of budapest from the top

2008-11-24T08:53:00.000+08:00

finally, the crazy week is over. audit, meetings, reports, countless late nights... for a period of time i wondered if they were ever going to end. thankfully, it did. which means that i can leave guilt-free in a couple of hours for my long awaited euro trip. at last, a much craved break from work! haha. we'll be spending the next 13 days in eastern europe, mainly austria, hungary, poland, czech republic and etc. im just hoping the weather won't be too a spoiler and of course to get some nice photos home. :D

as always, drop me an email if you'd like to get anything from there. i won't be activing my autoroam in attempt to save some money. so till then, ciao!

2008-11-13T02:04:00.000+08:00

it was without a doubt, love at first sight.
for the moment our eyes met, we knew we were meant for each other.
though many remarked it was a silly decision made,
we were certain we'd pull through and make it just right.

sure enough, we were a perfect match.
each time we were out in the open, all eyes laid upon us.
everywhere we went, you were always the centre of attraction.
you were and always will be, nothing less than a beauty.
needless to say, are you definitely one of a kind.
you are, the only one in this world.

you took me to places i never thought i'd ever go.
you gave life a new perspective, a new adventure.
every moment spent with you, was filled with adrenaline and pride.
there is nothing more a guy could ever ask for, than calling you his own.

tragically, it seems lately that a situation has arised.
one that none of us wish would ever happen,
but for the good of us both, we know following what has been planned, would be the only right option for both of us now.

yes, perhaps it is time we go our separate ways.
though it shatters my heart to see you leave, i am left with no better choice.
i hope that someday soon, you will find someone who will be able to treasure you, love you and treat you way better than i have.
your pictures will i forever keep, and our memories together, will they stay for eternity.
i love you baby, and i will never forget you... my beloved piaggio mp3.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
there, i've let it all out... tense emotions ok. but to the point, am selling my 1st hand silver accident free piaggio mp3 125 cc motorcycle, my prize possession. price negotiable. advertisement will be out on mocca soon. interested and trustworthy parties do message. thanks! (:

2008-11-09T11:56:00.000+08:00

Calling all seniors of fmssrcy!

Come join us in this evening of great reunion as we reminisce the good old days in FMSSRCY with friends, batchmates and teachers whom many of us have lost contact with through the years. It will be an evening filled with great company, food, games, performances, and catching up planned specially for you.

Date: 21/12/08 (Sunday)

Time: 5.00pm to 10.00pm

Venue: Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, 102 Dover Road (To be confirmed. Please check back for updates)

Attire: Casual (batch rcy/fairfield/class tee if possible)
Things to bring: 1 gift for exchange

Contribution: $12 (catered dinner, decoration, prizes, games materials)

Guest of Honour: Miss Yeo Li Li

Theme: Good Old Days @ FMSSRCY

RSVP to: Respective Batch Rep

1998 and above: Chiu Weng / 1999: Eugene / 2000: Johnathan / 2001: Chong Pei / 2002: Yian Ling / 2003: Poh Huat / 2004: Nurun / 2005: Leonard / 2006: Chanel / 2007: Fion / 2008: Gin Yong / 2009: Jun Yi

For further enquires, do not hesitate to contact either Eugene Lim @ 98163574 or Leonard Lim @ 93251396.

P.S. We'd like to extend the invitation to you out there to be part of the planning committee for this event! If you could spare some of your time, we'll be most appreciative! Do leave your contact details with either Eugene or Leonard and we'll keep you in the loop :)

Looking forward to working together with you in making this upcoming reunion a blast! Please help to spread the good news around and see you on the 21st! Thanks very much! :)

Cheers,
Eugene & Leonard

2008-11-03T02:33:00.000+08:00

having nothing better to do in the office last week, i thought i'd give it a shot at class 95's mediacorp subaru impreza challenge, and who would have expected, i actually managed to qualify with just one call in! hahaha. if you're clueless, its the one with contestants placing their palms on the car and enduring through days infront of ngee ann city, of which the last one standing wins the babe.

but honestly, i was just bored rather than having the intention to compete lah. moreover, the tee interests me more than the car, LOL. hence i thought, since i probably won't be able to break the record for the longest time (74 hours), i can most certainly beat the shortest :P one sec into the competition and i'll just get myself out. wah, imagine the media attention then. haha, sounds like an awesome plan. and i still get my tee in the end.

so see you at ngee ann city on 8 nov, if i still decide to go that is. heh heh.

2008-10-22T23:30:00.000+08:00

drivers caution! better hope your pictures don't end up in here one day. hahh, this is one blog i'll be glad to support faithfully. :D

http://parkingidiots.blogspot.com/

2008-10-21T01:03:00.000+08:00

to all eagerly awaiting the beginning and ending of Os and As, may the good lord bless you abundantly with his peace, strength and fortitude, as he walks faithfully with you through this period of much anxiety and hardship.

hang in there, as we continue keeping you in our daily prayers. it'll be over quicker than you know it. ;) jiayou!

2008-10-13T23:00:00.000+08:00

just some of the 'not-too-long-ago' photos i managed to retrive while doing a little room packing and cleaning during the weekends. hhah, look... can't blame me for the eyebags, borned with them already!

my first christmas

brother and i

p1 class photo 1996.

wah, still as cute as ever :D

2008-10-13T09:23:00.000+08:00

shoppers beware!

the stores at funan are sinister mann.

sourced there for an ultra wide angle lens just last saturday. encountered 4 different stores with a huge range of price differences. 1st - S$1500... 2nd S$1350... 3rd S$985... and finally S$895 at john 3:16. so just when you think you've got the best deal, a little advice to hold on and check out the store next door. what can we expect, they're good at making us believe they're offering the best prices while proably they aren't.

damn, i cant imagine what i'd have ended up in if i paid 1500 bucks. sheesh, what a kick in one's own ass. of course, thank god that didn't have to happen.

ah, time to test out the sigma 10-20mm f4 this weekend. sweet.

2008-10-09T01:00:00.000+08:00

what's the chances of getting into two accidents in a role in two days with two of my vehicles in the past two days...?

shiok.

i am going to buy 4d during lunchtime. :D

2008-10-07T10:29:00.000+08:00

hello everyone!

i'd like to say a big heartfelt THANK YOU to you for all your nice, pretty, generous and encouraging tags on the f1 photos and all previous ones that i've been uploading. though they may still be very amateur, i'll continue striving hard to improve and share better ones in the future, which will no doubt prove to be difficult if not for all your support. (:

surprisingly too, i just received notice yesterday that i've been granted licentiateship (L.P.S.S) with the photographic society of singapore, first of the 4 'ranks' that exists internationally in the photography industry. so, that's just a first step of getting seriously into it i guess.

once again, thank you for everything including your loyal visits to this blog. (:

cheers!

2008-09-29T17:28:00.000+08:00

taken by David

for the few of us and many other fortunate ones who managed to get their tics to the singapore gp, the past weekend was much immersed in the smell of burnt rubber, sights of incredible machines, roars of over a thousand horsepower, and much shoulder rubbing against fans from all over the globe. the three days of f1 over at the marina circuit park was truely breathtaking and awesome, with many bits of the experience being just totally indescribable.

for those three days, the atmosphere seemed nothing like it was in singapore. the crowd, track, circuit, set up, facilities, professionalism... was stunning, except for a number of hiccups which after all was inevitable.

ask any fan, and they'd probably tell you that f1 isn't just about the cars and the races. instead, its really about the appreciation of all that monstrous power beneath the hood of the machine, which man has managed to tame and control so beautifully and gracefully at will. it is about the admiration of the tremendous teamwork that works behind every driver, and witnessing the technology that constantly advances at every race. put those together, and one will have no problem understanding why people are willing to pay five digit prices to be at the heart of the action.

so, apart from all the expected happenings of the event, some of the unique experiences we got were access to almost anywhere and everywhere including the support paddock :D, treating one of the drivers after a collision, catching Adrian Sutil of Force India's crash (exactly beside our medical post) right before our eyes and all the action that came after, and etc... rocks.

thank you noelle for being such a great roving partner and company to have. hours would just appear so long and meaningless without you. thank you! :D

whoo, what a weekeend. definitely not for the ferrari peeps and their fans though. i feel their pain already. :(

pics by junjie. wahh, i like the pics. but i love him more for taking them lah :D

2008-09-29T14:50:00.000+08:00

just to share some photos that i've managed to get, with some luck at the singapore f1 grand prix. it was the first time that i'm shooting motorsports and i have to admit its difficulty was nothing close to anything i've shot before. it was challenging in many aspects, but the results in some of the pictures, i thought were astonishing and to an extent, satisfying (considering it was my first time too!).

for a start, i was at the losing end. my beloved nikon d80 was nowhere near a professional dslr, my zoom lens is one of the cheapest in the market, and so is my external flash gun. moreover, standing during the races are not allowed, except for some parts of the grandstands, which would majority of the time then, be overly packed with desperate photographers like myself leaving latecomers with either blocked views or nothing left to shoot. personally, i hate crowds, so as much as possible, i tried to avoid them.

heh, so i guess you'd have to make full use of any and every opportunity that is available to you. as it is said, you're the master of surrounding elements. in other words, make use of every element to your advantage in making a good pic, even if it seems uncommon.

ambrose and i before the race at the marina aka ndp grandstand. directly behind of us is the actual track which the F1 cars would be racing through. the noise from a f1 car's engine is approx 130 db that is about the same, or even more than a fighter plane taking off... ultimate extreme! so practically every spectator had to have a pair of ear plugs. if not, none of those spectators behind us would even last a second there.

that's our buggy which we used to transport a casaulty with a severe bleeding palm from having it sliced across a railing, to the nearest a&e ambulance. however majority of the times, this buggy was there to collect our lunches and dinners which was virtually impossible to walk to due to the great distance. in doing so, it had to get through quite a distance on the race track which often found itself held up being halfway back with the food as the track was closed for the race cars.

ferrari fans. they were the first few to leave even before the end of the race, due to the team's tragic lost over the pit incident. real sad. those flags cost about S$120 too, if i remembered right.

skyline of the day time races. needless to mention, the weather was unforgiving and burning! the porsches seen on the track were moving through at speeds more than 160 km/hr.

mechanics doing their final checks on these porsches before the cars are brought out for their race.

porsche cars lined up and getting ready for their afternoon race - porsche carrera cup asia, as part of the f1 singapore gp programme.

finals in the porsche carrera cup asia, at turn 18. wahh, this is ultimate tailgate mann. i won't hesitate to !@#$ any driver who does this to me on the road i tell ya.

finals in the porsche carrera cup asia, at turn 18.

this car belonged to the singapore team, driven by gerald teo, a singaporean in the porsche carrera cup asia. he clinched third position in the finals. here, it just returned to the paddock for maintenance after the race.

an aston martin being pushed out of the paddock and onto the assembly area where it will take off for its race. thats how light it is!

aston martins in action. it was a race by the way, not trial runs.

taken inside the aston martin's paddock. we were granted access through this restricted zone. heehee.

these belong to the bmw formula 1. the yellow flag indicates an accident up ahead, hence upon passing it, all cars will have to slow down, form a line, and eventually follow the safety car which will cease to function on the race track when the accident obstacles are cleared.

bmw formula 1 cars at turn 14 (raffles grandstand). managed to sneak up to get a couple of shots before i was chased down. lol. worth it wasn't it?

heading for turn 18.

it was a mistake of forcus actually. but i thought it still makes a good and interesting shot doesn't it? haha.

fiat minis driven by hot italian chicks parading through the race course. haha. it was part of the highlights for the night before the actual f1 night races began. cute cars!

that's the safety car for the f1 event, a vehicle thats truely commendable on. it weighs as heavy as a normal car on the road, and has its aircon working inside (holds a driver, paramedic, doctor and nurse) which ultimately draws lots more power. however, this baby is expected to reach speeds as fast as a f1 car in order to maintain the high speeds, guide, and lead the cars when an accident occurs on the track. hot stuff!

LEWIS HAMILTON waving to crowds during the drivers' parade just before the finals on sunday night.

skyline of the singapore f1 gp night race finals. seen on the track is a car in the midst of the race.

---------------------------------------------------------
the below pics were taken with the panning technique (tracking the movement of the cars). hahh, it took abit of tries to get it right finally, which was extremely challenging considering the cars here were flying by at speeds of over 260km/h. though far from perfect, i was really happy with the results!

2008-09-26T01:32:00.000+08:00

leave for friday and monday applied.
work schedule taken care of.
lens and filters brushed, blown and cleaned.
cameras' batteries charged.
shades polished.
items packed.

... checked, and good to go!

off to the F1 for the full 3 days. heard there's even free flow of beer at the finale party that we're invited to on sunday. heehee. yeah baabbyy. here i come! whoohoo!

all thanks to red cross (:

2008-09-23T10:03:00.000+08:00

lets admit it, singaporeans make the biggest !@#$%^ up drivers amongst all others. road hogging, tailgating, lane cutting, having no regard for the safety of motorcyclists, forever rushing even when there's not a need to... what's new? more ridiculously than ever, it makes no sense to have massive jams every morning when accident vehicles are already moved to the road shoulders. so why then are there jams? because singaporean drivers are just too damn kpo that they cant help slowing down to have a !@#$ing good look! not to mention some retards would enjoy the opportunity for 4d numbers...

in fact, if one can get charged for creating a nuisance in public, i don't see why there isn't more reason for motorists who choose to be reckless and irresponsible enough to speed and land themselves up in an accident, in doing so cause a jam and delaying thousands of other road users to their destinations, to receive similar charges or perhaps greater ones as well??

its disgusting to witness and experience how often cars cut into paths of motorcyclists without any regard for their pressence. that includes me, main culprits - taxi drivers. eh, c'mon lah. motorcyclists pay road tax too, give us the space we deserve can? or must our button to horn be converted to missle launchers before we get that small bit of respect?

its probably due to the fast paced society that cultivates us to be all time chiongsters with no level of patience on the road. and since everyone behaves in the same manner, we perceive such barbaric behavior to be well acceptable. but then again, take a look at thailand, vietnam, and etc... one can see that drivers there don't even need traffic lights to work out who's to give way. so wake up, there's still more to be worked on ok?

while neither am i a saint on the road... i do take every effort to practise a little road courtesy and patience, believe it or not. but of course, there are always just some bastards who don't deserve to be treated nicely.

2008-09-18T06:30:00.000+08:00

in hope to have time pass quicker, leonard is thinking of getting a pet to keep him company in the office. he is considering a few options that include hamsters, fish, baby lobsters, meal worms... and sea monkeys. he has already spent half the day surfing the net, learning how to care for each little creature who may soon become his friend, and is confident that whichever little friends he chooses, they will be assured of their happiness with him.

however, leonard has a problem. he doesn't know what will happen to his friends when the weekend comes and no one is avail to feed or play with them. the fury ones should have no problem with this, but the noise from their wheel will probably prove to be extremely irritating and eventually cause the colleagues to throw them out of the window in no time. the meal worms would require the least maintenance. but if they were to reach adulthood and begin laying eggs that end up hatching all over the office... then leonard can be prepared to throw himself out of the window instead.

after much thought, leonard is still undecided. perhaps, he hopes that readers might be able to offer him some suggestions.

2008-09-17T00:41:00.000+08:00

happy birthday to mr harry lee kwan yew! 85 today and still going strong. whoot, he's the mann. (:

2008-09-14T16:13:00.000+08:00

leonard paid a visit to mount alvernia hospital yesterday to see his friends - greg, joy and their new borned baby, tricia who was delivered only a few hours earlier. it had been exactly 19 years and 5 months since he last stepped foot in the hospital, as he too was given birth to there. upon entering the vicinity and building, it suddenly occured to leonard that he might be in the wrong place, for the place appeared far more like a church than a hospital.

stood in the driveway, he saw a statue of the blessed virgin mary, and a few steps from the main entrance, a chapel with the tabernacle exposed. everywhere else, he found crucifixes hung on walls, statues of the saints and wards named after each of them. it was nothing like what one would encounter at any other hospital. leonard liked it. he felt so at peace, comforted and at home. a part of him felt proud to be a catholic, knowing that the hospital was actually part of the church. after all, it was the catholic church that established the first hospital and took care of the sick.

leonard met the family there after. they were physically drained from practically not having any sleep the whole night. but as he could see, nothing beats the joy of gracefully receiving the blessings of a new borned child. only a few hours old and Tricia's already such a beauty. for that afternoon, everyone's admiration was on the baby. Truely, she is a gift from God and leonard prays that likewise she too will grow up to be a gift to others.

Leonard thought, he is aging fast.... it was no longer aunties and uncles who are getting married and having kids, but cousins and friends of the same generation. he pondered over when his turn will come and how life will be like having to raise up kids. for a moment, it did not seem easy at all.

2008-09-12T07:20:00.000+08:00

leonard is bored at the office. he hasn't opened his mouth and said a word for the whole day because all the staff are out on course, only being nice enough to leave him alone with a pile of documents to accompany him for the next two days. he tried starting some conversations with the papers, but that didn't really work. so, being ever so hardworking and diligent, leonard has managed to finish the two days worth of work in eight hours. hence having nothing else better to do now, he figured getting a new blog skin might be a good idea. after all, he is beginning to get annoyed with the small texts on the previous skin. after some time of scouting, he came across this. he liked it, thinking it reflects well the dull and boring lifestyle he is currently leading.

leonard was hoping to keng today and leave the office early. unfortunately his boss just returned, meaning he can only knock off at 1800 hours, 00 sec, on the dot like every other day... not a second earlier, not a second later.

2008-09-10T14:26:00.000+08:00

a date to set some time aside for.

Amplify in the City

In the hustle and bustle of our lives, have we lost who we are? Have our lives lost the meaning and verve that they used to have?

Do you feel the need to get away from it all, to recharge and refocus but can't afford the time for a retreat?

Mark your calendars this September as Amplify Ministry brings a refreshing worship encounter for all you, young people at the heart of the city!! There will be passionate worship & relevant teaching session during the event.

Join hundreds of young people from all over Singapore as we come together to worship and encounter the Living God and the awesome life He has in store for you!

All you need to do is come. Spread the word.

Date: 12 September 2008, Friday

Time: 1945hrs

Venue: NTUC Business Centre, Auditorium Level 7, 1 Marina Boulevard

For directions: Look out for our volunteers with bright orange lanyards at Raffles Place MRT from 7.15pm onwards! We will be there to show you the way!

If you are going by yourself:By Bus - Collyer Quay / Clifford Pier / Clifford CentreSBS - 10, 57, 70, 97, 100, 107, 130, 131, 162, 196SMRT - 75, 167, 531, 546, 700, 970

2008-09-08T15:00:00.000+08:00

im spending way too much time on the computer at the office nowadays and my poor eyes are already beginning to feel the pinch. not that im surfing around or playing games, but unfortunately, much of the work requires the com.

hence as much as i can, im limiting the time i spend with the com when im back home, meaning less blogging and msn and more eye chillin. if not, its only a matter of time that i turn blind. hahaha

lately, with whatever free time im left with, im building up my photography portfolio over at flickr, which i'd like to share with you, especially those who may have similar interests in photography. if you have the time, do take a look. your comments will be most valuable! its add is www.flickr.com/leonardlms . if you've got a flickr account, even better! drop me a message and i'll add you there.

cheers!

2008-09-07T03:43:00.000+08:00

with the conclusion of exams, attachment began last monday and will probably last me through till approx end of chinese new year 2009 which marks the end of my poly studies. except for the fact that im living in boonlay and my office (center for competency based learning & development) is at east coast-katong, which self explains the torturous long and frustrating journeys having to sit through the jams to the east and back everyday, im surprised to find myself being able to take on tasks in my stride and actually coping rather well. though workload at the office is no doubt getting more tedious by the day, at the same time i cant deny that im gaining a huge load of valuable learning experience and knowledge each time... so ive got nothing to bitch about at the moment just yet. haha.

interestingly enough, everyday in katong has been a fat feeding, mouth-watering food adventure. famous katong laksa, nasi lemak, tao gua bao, bak gu teh, brizilian samba, wah seriously the list never ends, heehee. but then, ive decided to bring food from home for lunch daily, in hope of saving some money to get a macro lens. anyone with sources for good second hand ones, also much appreciated! nonetheless, if you happen to be around the corner, you could drop me a message. and i'll be glad to be your makan guru for the day! :P

2008-09-04T17:31:00.001+08:00

incase you havent been keeping up to date with the news, the SAF recently unveiled its new no. 4 uniform. and in doing so, stirred up a good amount of commotion over the whole issue, especially the case on "Wife of a regular officer wants to petition against the change in army uniform because she don't find it sexy." LOL, how much lamer can we get (click here to read whole story). as awful as it may be, i'll well go with anything that better keeps me alive. in this case, VR man? :D

however, i don't get the rationale for the new position (circled in red) of the rank apaulette, machiam power rangers. woudn't all the crawling through mud and anything and everything eventually dirty and cover up the rank there? then also cannot see mah, whats the point. no surprise if officers start getting mistaken for privates then. ha ha.

if what the media mentioned is true, that it probably means that that is what's gonna be on me next year... sian.

wah seh, whats next mann... thermal cooling underwear?

photo source: http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/publications/cyberpioneer

2008-08-30T21:58:00.000+08:00

what better way to get together with old friends for something that never fails to interest us guys. yep, saturday morning was spent at the rsaf open house over at paya lebar airbase. despite the extremes of the weather that sun burnt us like crap and later drenched everyone, we had a great time altogether checking out what the whole place had to offer. too bad we missed the aerial displays, if not they would have been awesome shots to capture. nonetheless, congrats to the rsaf on its 40th anniversary!

album will be up shortly. check back for updates! :D

2008-08-30T14:50:00.000+08:00

today's shoot at lower pierce reservoir turned out to be more productive than planned. i must say that im pleased with the end results, though a little more knowledge on tone mapping would be able enhance the pics a great deal. unlike the previous places that i went to, lower pierce reservoir offered great tranquility, stillness and peace, which one can nicely retreat to from the fast paced lifestyle. and its moments like these that truely make me appreciate photography so much more, as if it wasn't for it, i'd probably never knew such places of beauty exist just at our backyard.

2008-08-29T05:33:00.000+08:00

wednesday's paper went pretty smoothly, thanks to all of your prayers that accompanied me through the hectic period! now that exams have concluded, a little more time to catch up on other things. photography licentiateship submission is due on sunday, hence i foresee the remaining days will probably be spent with the camera and i, as we continue our search for more unique and interesting locations to shoot at! unfortunately, the weather hasn't been too kind and ideas are running out...

currently doing some studying and experimenting on high dynamic range merging, tone mapping and all that junk in photoshop. could use a little help there if anyone might be familiar with such! the following were the outcomes from the 1st attempt of processing. hmm... far from desired results, but still a huge learning experience gained. hope they'll get better with more trial and error and experience over time. :D

pictures shoot at labrador park (beach) during sunset.

any opinions? (:

2008-08-27T23:59:00.000+08:00

a visit to punggol beach this evening in an attempt to get some shooting done for an assignment brought out the creeps in me after i realised what the exact site was previously used for. with all due respect, i offered my prayers for the innocent victims who lost their lives during the massacres which took place on the same ground 65 years ago.

Punggol Beach is a far cry from the fun-filled beach holiday, with stretches of sand dotted with beach umbrellas and food outlets that ensure a perfect beach getaway for the entire family. Rather, Punggol Beach has a lot to do with the history of Singapore. It has a historical significance that no other beaches in Singapore can boast of.

Punggol Beach is witness to the grisly days of World War II. During those traumatic days, Punggol Beach was used as the Japanese killing fields. It is owing to this gruesome history that Punggol Beach is often touted as the slaughter beach. There, thousands of chinese men were tied up and executed during the Sook Ching operation, some of whose remains were only stumbled across recently and dug up.

Punggol Beach, as it stands today is a tidied up beach that is almost abandoned. It is the most rarely visited beaches in Singapore and the reason can be attributed to its inaccessibility and to the fact that many still don't know that this beach actually exists.

reference: http://www.worldtravel4indians.com/singapore/beaches-in-singapore/punggol-beach.html

2008-08-25T01:55:00.000+08:00

first attempt in shooting fireworks at the singapore fireworks festival held over the weekends. finding our way to the top of the ecp flyover, setting up the equipment in the rain, and waiting for the right moment was an interesting adventure by itself. unfortunately, the shots weren't exactly pleasing, due to the rain and wet lens that ruined majority of the pics. not the mention, the smoke was way excessive. :(

hopefully it will get better next time round.

album will be up shortly. check back for updates! :D

2008-08-24T07:21:00.000+08:00

all good things must come to an end. and likewise, my days in fmssrcy drew to a close last evening.

fmssrcy has been more than a unit to all of us. it is a family that is made up of people who share a common love for the fellowship and one another, thereby striving for the very best for the tiny but vibrant community.

fairfield redcross has literally been a part of me for half my life (1998-2008), and letting all that go can never be anywhere near easy. especially when the hardest times i cried and laugh, the people who supported me through the most difficult times of my life, the learning experiences which challenged and groomed me to become who i am today, and the only closest friends i have all these years, came from within.

while there is much hesitation inside to go, it is good that i try to put certain things behind and move on. it is not something that i want, but what life demands. and it is about time it did.

nonetheless, i am so proud of each and everyone who has journeyed with me this far. for the sec4s and 5s being so pleasant to work with. the sec 3s for constantly impressing and surprising me with their capabilities week after week. the sec2s for being such true heroes to the juniors by overcoming so many obstacles put to them. the sec1s for having so much leadership potential and being so enthusiastic at everything. and not forgetting the vis and seniors for their never failing support and passion.

truely, ive been so fortunate to have been able to grow up with, have fun with, and become friends with all of them.

besides, im glad that ive finally found a successor whom i can count on to perform better than myself and take the unit to greater heights, perhaps with even more passion. fmssrcy, will be in good hands now. (:

until there comes a chance for us to meet again, i will keep all of you in my prayers, and i pray for you my friend that you will continue striving for the very best in all that you do. and may the good lord watch over you and keep you safe always.

thanks for all the pretty and unforgettable memories. i will never forget you all!

maybe... i will be back when the time is right. (:

2008-08-22T02:32:00.000+08:00

exam period's over and everyone's rejoicing but unfortunately, not for me just yet. reason being, a relapse of the stomach pains that caused me to be warded about a year ago, occured and confined me to the bed for the last two days, thus missing out yesterday's paper. sheesh, of all times to fall sick, seriously sick... :(

now, im just waiting... having no idea when the retest will be. hopefully as soon as possible, to get over and done with. then its no more mugging for the next 3 yrs or so. rocks!

in the meanwhile, time to get busy with more generals and tiberium wars. :D

2008-08-19T23:58:00.000+08:00

just a short story that keeps me going through life's ups and downs... well, maybe for the downs mostly.

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions!

One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, 'God! How could you do this to me?'

Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him! 'How did you know I was here?' asked the weary man of his rescuers. 'We saw your smoke signal,' they replied.

The Moral of This Story:

It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering. Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God!

2008-08-15T02:49:00.000+08:00

the past few days spent on pulau ubin for the biennial national camp turned out to be pretty rewarding and eventful. with some others, we functioned as first aiders and medical personnel for the 4d3n camp over at npcc campsite. stationed at the medical post for majority of the time, our duties landed us up in treating casualties, attending to in-patients and their needs, assisting the doc, settling admin, and etc. amusingly enough, that brought out the 'nurse' in many of us. though far off from a professionally trained one, it was no doubt an unique and good learning experience then. hahaha.

as each casualty and patient, especially those warded overnight recovered and got discharged, the feelings that overcame us were somewhat of much joy and satisfaction. probably, which also served well as a source of motivation for all of us, having to face the demands of our roles. now it got me thinking... if i should pursue a nursing career. hahaha. you never know. :p

apart from our duties, opportunities to gain fully from the camp was plentiful. as always, it was a great time catching up with the other vis and not surprisingly, many of the syf participants were also present. other than that, time allowed a little photography here and there... just what i needed, after a long while of my baby collecting dust.

a frame tents which campers slept in

lots of monkeying around

team building activities

archery

kayaking

rock climbing

flags of various UGs

our medical post

rcy instructors heading to ubin

medical team with dr chung

denise!

check out www.flickr.com/leonardlms/sets for complete album

2008-08-09T03:47:00.000+08:00

after completing 24 projects throughout two and a half years in poly, the very last one was submitted this evening. hooray! and as much as everyone knows these projects would serve us well in preparing for the future, i guess we all have had enough.

yeah, over, done, finished, no more, whoohoo!

with one task less for my mind to be occupied with, thoughts have been pouring in from all over. primarily, still asking myself, 'so whats next?'.

my father has been encouraging me to apply for an overseas uni, while my mom prefers me to stay local. as for myself, i have really no clue. i've heard from many recently that its been getting more competitive and tougher to get a spot into a business course in our local unis for the fact that its a hot pick. and i guess thats rather demoralising to know.

somehow, i cannot comprehend why it would be ridiculously more difficult for one to get into a local uni than an overseas one which has even better ratings than those we have locally. besides, some foreigners are even getting scholarships to study here, while in the first place, local students with better results don't even qualify for a spot, not to mention scholarships. needless to ask, why the !@#$% is our gahmen attracting foreigners to study here when her own people cant even get places in, and instead have to go overseas just for the chance to study what is actually already offered at home?

being a real piss off, theres no surprise why more are deciding to remain overseas and not return home upon graduation. sheesh, can someone explain to me the rationale for the above please?

2008-08-03T03:12:00.000+08:00

paid a visit to the NATAS fair at expo yesterday, and time probably never flew by so fast before as it did in there. as usual, the crowd present in the two halls of the fair was as if the entire singapore population was inside, which could be explained by the ongoing promotions, discounts and freebies at every booth. there, the true singaporean spirit seen (where there are free stuff and good deals, there we will always be!) :D

so, after hours of enquiring, comparing and walking non stop... which was totally worth the effort, we got ourselves a 4d3n cruise to puket/penang with poh huat and gang, and a trip to eastern europe with chanel and family for upcoming dec. i wouldn't consider myself a spendthrift, but the promotions were too tempting to be given a miss, and considering the chance to travel may not come by so easily after i enlist next year, aiyah a little pampering won't hurt. heh heh. at least theres something to look forward to for now, a time with family and friends... rocks. :D

checking out books on places to visit in europe at borders. wah, cant wait already. haha.

2008-07-30T04:10:00.000+08:00

it seems that the higher i climb, the greater i fear falling, or rather the harder i find myself being able to accept anything less than what i have managed to achieve.

yesterday's crm test was a major disappointment. not because it was poorly done, but because i believed it didn't turn out anywhere near the insanely pressurizing targets which i recently reached and left off at. sigh, there goes an 'A'... only way now to make up for it is to mug hard for final exams, only two weeks away. siann.

2008-07-29T13:48:00.000+08:00

third project down and one remaining. what a huge burden off everyone's chest! presentation at meritus mandarin this afternoon was a unique and great experience for sure. being in the presence of the organization's board of directors and managers was already nerve racking, not to mention executing a presentation before everyone. but despite that, the guys did just awesome. so an appplaud to all of us! whoohoo! (: